When an Ontario tenant may change the locks
Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 generally restricts a tenant from altering a locking system without the landlord's consent. However, the law provides a safety-related exception for a tenant who has reasonable grounds to believe that another person may jeopardize the safety of the tenant or a household member. This can apply during a domestic dispute, including situations involving a former partner, co-tenant, visitor, or other person connected to the home.[1]
The exception is fact-specific. A tenant should consider whether there is a genuine safety concern, whether the person has access to the unit, and whether changing the lock is necessary to reduce the risk. A survivor should not wait for a dispute with the landlord to become urgent before making a safety plan.
What happens to the old key
Under the safety exception, the tenant is not required to give the landlord a key to the changed lock in the same way that a tenant normally may be expected to provide access to a changed locking system. The landlord still has legal entry rights in appropriate circumstances, such as entry with proper notice for a permitted purpose or entry in an emergency. Changing a lock does not cancel the tenancy or prevent lawful access.
Review Obligations of Landlords and Tenants: Rights, Responsibilities, and Best Practices for general information about access, privacy, and tenant responsibilities.
Practical steps before and after changing a lock
- Make a safety plan that identifies a safe exit, emergency contacts, and a place to stay if remaining in the unit becomes unsafe.
- Use a qualified locksmith or another safe method to change the lock, and keep the invoice or receipt.
- Keep records of threatening messages, police occurrence numbers, court orders, photographs, repair invoices, and communications with the landlord.
- Give the landlord written information about the safety-related change when it is safe to do so, while avoiding disclosure of a confidential location or safety plan.
- Ask the locksmith whether the changed lock affects any shared entrance, mailbox, garage, or other access point that must remain usable.
Keep communications brief and factual. A tenant can state that the lock was changed for safety reasons under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, without providing private details that could increase risk. If the landlord demands a key or threatens an illegal lockout, save the message and seek advice promptly.
For broader information about hazards, security, and habitability, see Health and Safety Issues Every Tenant Should Know When Renting.
What if the landlord objects or interferes?
A landlord cannot use a domestic dispute as a reason to harass, threaten, punish, or unlawfully evict a tenant. A landlord also cannot simply remove a tenant's belongings or lock the tenant out without following the legal eviction process. If the landlord believes the lock change breached the tenancy rules, the dispute should be addressed through the Landlord and Tenant Board rather than self-help measures.
The Landlord and Tenant Board handles most residential tenancy disputes in Ontario. A tenant may consider a T2 application if the landlord, superintendent, or agent substantially interfered with the tenant's reasonable enjoyment, harassed the tenant, or withheld a service. A tenant should explain the safety circumstances and attach relevant records. The Board's forms page provides current forms and filing instructions.[2]
Relevant Ontario forms
- Form T2, Application About Tenant Rights: Use this when a landlord or agent interferes with your reasonable enjoyment, harasses you, or changes the locks without legal authority; for example, a survivor can use it to ask the Board for remedies after an unlawful lockout or retaliation.
- Form N15, Tenant's Notice to End the Tenancy Because of Fear of Sexual or Domestic Violence and Abuse: Use this to end a tenancy early when the tenant or a child living with the tenant meets the form's eligibility requirements; follow the form's confidential delivery and supporting-document instructions rather than giving unnecessary details to the landlord.
- Form L1 or L2 response materials: If a landlord starts an application alleging rent arrears or another ground, read the notice and Board instructions promptly, gather proof, and attend the hearing or request accommodation as directed.
Form T2 and Form N15 are available through the Board's official forms resources. The Board can explain filing procedures, but it cannot provide individualized legal advice. A community legal clinic or lawyer may help assess which application is appropriate.
Ending a tenancy for safety
Changing the locks does not automatically end a lease. If staying is unsafe, an eligible tenant may be able to use Form N15 to end the tenancy early because of sexual or domestic violence and abuse. The tenant must meet the legal requirements and provide the required supporting document, such as a prescribed statement or qualifying court or police document, as described in the current form instructions.[3]
Do not assume that moving out alone ends rent obligations. Follow the N15 process carefully, keep copies, and protect the confidentiality of your new address. You can also Find rental homes across Canada on Houseme if you need to search for a safer rental home, but housing searches should not replace emergency or legal support.
FAQ
- Can an Ontario tenant change the locks during a domestic dispute?
- Yes, a tenant may be able to change the locks without the landlord's consent when the tenant has reasonable grounds to believe another person may jeopardize the safety of the tenant or a household member.
- Does a tenant have to give the landlord a key after changing the lock for safety?
- The safety-related exception can mean the tenant is not required to provide a key in the usual way, but lawful landlord entry rules still apply.
- Can a landlord evict a tenant for changing the locks?
- A landlord cannot lawfully lock out or remove a tenant without following the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Landlord and Tenant Board process, although a landlord may raise a dispute that the Board must decide.
- Which Ontario form can help a survivor leave early?
- Form N15 may allow an eligible tenant to end a tenancy early because of fear of sexual or domestic violence and abuse, provided the tenant follows the form's requirements.
How-To
- Call 911 or move to a safe location if there is immediate danger.
- Record the safety concern and preserve messages, police information, court documents, and locksmith receipts.
- Change the relevant lock safely when there are reasonable grounds to believe another person may jeopardize household safety.
- Notify the landlord in writing when safe and keep a copy without revealing unnecessary confidential information.
- Contact the Landlord and Tenant Board or a legal clinic if the landlord threatens a lockout, eviction, or retaliation.
- Use Form N15 if you qualify and want to end the tenancy early because of sexual or domestic violence and abuse.
Help and Support / Resources
- Landlord and Tenant Board for residential tenancy information, applications, and hearings.
- Landlord and Tenant Board forms for current T2, N15, and other official forms.
- Ontario help for people experiencing violence for safety planning and support information.
- Victim Services Ontario for victim-support resources and referrals.
